Audi e-Tron

The electrified R8 is cool and fast. Is it the Supercar of Tomorrow?

As car enthusiasts, we want to protect the environment, but we also don't want to drive boring cars. So it's refreshing that amidst the push for alternative energy vehicles—a push which seems destined to turn cars into mere appliances—there are a few players who recognize it's important that their green cars must also offer great driving dynamics in addition to good looks.

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We were pleased when unveiled the concept at last year's Frankfurt Auto Show. Further so when the folks from Ingolstadt allowed us a brief drive in the $1 million show car; better still, Audi recently announced it will build a limited production version in about two years.

Despite being a show car, the e-Tron can get up and go in a hurry (although we weren't allowed to drive it much above 50 mph). Mechanically, it feels almost ready for production. Looking very much like an , the e-Tron is powered by four synchronous electric motors—one per wheel, thus making it all-wheel drive. The combined power output is an adequate 313 horsepower, but it's the whopping 501 lb.-ft. of torque that gets your attention, ready to propel the car from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a claimed 4.8 seconds and to a top speed of 125 mph. Dip into the throttle—er, the electric accelerator switch—and the e-Tron's instant torque can be felt at just about any speed. In fact, Audi says that to go from 37 mph to 75 mph takes just 4.1 sec.

Thomas Kräuter, technical project manager for the e-Tron, tells us the car was designed to have driving dynamics similar to those of the R8. As such, the e-Tron's curb weight is targeted at around 3500 lb., similar to the R8 V-10, although the concept car is currently 600 lb. heavier. But in driving the e-Tron, there's little hint of this.

The electricity is stored in water-cooled lithium-ion batteries located in the center of the vehicle, just aft of the cockpit. The 53-kW-h battery pack, which weighs slightly over 1000 lb., is capable of delivering 42.4 kW-h under continuous usage, making for a range of about 150 miles. Using a standard European household socket (230 volts, 17 amps), the e-Tron can be fully charged in 6 to 8 hours. A 400-volt (63-amp) outlet cuts recharge time to 2.5 hours. Of note, Audi engineers are investigating the possibility of a wireless inductive charging system where no cables are needed to connect the car with a physical outlet.

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The e-Tron has a smaller overall footprint than the R8, due to a shorter wheelbase, shorter overhangs and a lower height. In fact, the two cars share only the same width and fender flares, despite looking so much alike. The e-Tron's chassis is constructed with Audi Space Frame (ASF) technology, and the exterior panels are made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. The front suspension uses double wishbones, with a multilink setup at the rear. Steering is via rack-and-pinion, electrically assisted only when the wheel is turned to conserve energy. Under normal driving conditions, the 235/35-19 front tires receive up to 30 percent of the torque to help drive the car, with the remaining torque routed to the 295/30-19 rear tires. The application of torque-vectoring technology allows optimized power output at each wheel to minimize understeer or oversteer during cornering.

The interior of the e-Tron has a futuristic design theme, highlighted by an LCD screen in the center of the instrument panel. The screen is flanked by two dials—one showing vehicle speed, the other power usage/regeneration. The MMI system handles the LCD screen's various functions, accessed via a touchpad on the center console. Additionally, the Audi Car-to-x Communication feature allows the e-Tron to communicate automatically with the road and its infrastructure based on GPS position, geographical data (grades, corners) and traffic conditions.

An initial run of 100 vehicles is to begin production at the end of 2011. No pricing has been set yet, although rumors peg the sticker around $200,000. We look forward to that production Audi e-Tron, as it appears to be an earnest effort to build an exciting all-electric sports car for driving enthusiasts.

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